Rodriguez, 40, has done a little better as a trainer. In just his third year on the other side of the thoroughbred game, he has a horse who might get him to the Kentucky Derby.

Vyjack passed another test Saturday, stretching his unbeaten streak to four with a 21/4-length win in the Grade II, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Race Track.

Vyjack — who is named after owner David Wilkenfeld's parents Vivienne and Jack — mowed down the other 10 horses in the 11/16-mile race with a sixteenth of a mile to go.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, the colt looked like he could have run around the Aqueduct inner track two more times. Vyjack had one horse beat early on in the race.

"He's a good horse," said Rodriguez, who used to exercise horses in the mornings for the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel as well as Rick Dutrow, who is out of racing because of multiple rules violations. "I wasn't worried when he was last. He was able to relax good, and be comfortable."

The colt picked up 50 points for winning the Gotham in the new Kentucky Derby points system.

Vyjack, the 2-1 second choice, will move onward on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Rodriguez said the next stop will most likely be the Grade I, $1 million Wood Memorial here on April 6.

The same cannot be said — at least right now — for Overanalyze, the 8-5 favorite who came home in fifth place, beaten 41/4 lengths. Trained by Todd Pletcher, owned by Mike Repole and ridden by John Velazquez (who won three races in his first appearance at the inner dirt meet), Overanalyze showed little in his first start as a 3-year-old.

Breaking from post position 11, Overanalyze, who won the Grade II Remsen and Futurity as a 2-year-old, had good position early, but was never a factor.

"I was where I wanted to be early," Velazquez, who was heading back to Florida where he rides during winter, said on his way back to the jockey's room. "Maybe he needed the race. I don't know, but he didn't show much interest."

Repole was at the track with a large entourage but didn't talk about what he saw until an hour after the race was run.

Speaking by cellphone, Repole said there is no plan for what Overanalyze will do next. He was scheduled to be flown back to Pletcher's winter Palm Meadows Training base in Boyton Beach, Fla., on Sunday.

"I would like to ask the horse what he thought, but I won't get an answer," Repole said. "Right now, it's premature to say anything because the bottom line is that he didn't have an excuse."

Vyjack was timed in 1 minute, 44.09 seconds and paid $6.70, $4.20 and $3.20. West Hills Giant, at 33-1 the third-longest shot on the board, gave way late to Vyjack. John Terranova, West Hills Giant's trainer, said the Wood will probably be next for his horse.